


The Hearing

by Rose9797



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 18:43:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15125591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose9797/pseuds/Rose9797
Summary: Amelia Bones' POV of the disciplinary hearing in Order of the Phoenix. Amelia gets an idea of the real Fudge and ponders his motives against Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. OotP Book One-shot.





	The Hearing

**Author's Note:**

> Parts of dialogues you recognize from the books are solely the copyright of JK Rowling. 
> 
> Italics – Amelia's thoughts

Amelia Bones was quite pissed off. And that was saying something.

She had just received intelligence that Mr. Potter had performed magic outside of school breaking the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. That boy was really something. He had already performed magic outside of school two times before and had gotten off with a warning.

Though, it was not all that surprising, considering who his father was. A small smile graced her lips as she thought about James Potter. She had been in Hogwarts at the same time as him though she had been older than him by about two years. He was arrogant, brash but also good-natured and funny. His good looks just added to his cocky nature. She would go far as to say she had had a small crush on him, however fleeting. She grew to realize he had eyes only for one charming Gryffindor alone. She sighed, remembering their untimely demise and how You-Know-Who had ripped their family apart.

Her secretary, Julia entered her office, "I've got some news."

Amelia frowned as she asked, "From who?"

Julia grimaced, "From the Minister for Magic himself. He's made it clear to Madam Mafalda Hopkirk that the boy is to be expelled and his wand is to be confiscated."

Amelia's eyes widened, "Without a trial? That's not legal. Not to mention as I have the authority in these matters, he can't just decide that without consulting me."

Julia nodded, "I said the same to his _Undersecretary_ ," her mouth twisted unpleasantly at the mention of her name.

Amelia frowned in annoyance, "And I presume she ignored it. That _vile_ woman!"

Amelia swore under her breath as she stood up. She was going to have a word with Mafalda. _Expelling a mere boy for using magic? Surely, at least a trial should be in order._

Unbidden, she remembered the news articles circulating in the Daily Prophet these days discrediting Dumbledore. He had also been sacked from the International Confederation of Warlocks. At least, she wasn't blind. There must have been at least an ounce of truth to his words, if Dumbledore stood by them even after his suspension. How else could that Diggory boy have died?

She arrived at Mafalda's office to a flurry of activity. Albus Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge were having a heated conversation.

"-does not have the power to expel Hogwarts students. Laws haven't changed Cornelius."

"Not yet. I should have expected this from you! Sticking up for your _favourite_ boy as usual! He has broken the law! And this is not his first time! I will have none of it!"

"But the Ministry does not have the right to confiscate wands until charges have been proven successfully. You are letting your fear cloud your judgement, Cornelius. I shall have a word with Amelia about this…"

Amelia chose that moment to clear her throat. "Good evening Minister, Dumbledore," she said politely with a nod of her head.

Before Fudge could start to speak, Amelia cut in, "Dumbledore is right on this count, Minister. There must be a disciplinary hearing to question Mr. Potter. As the head of the Department of Law Enforcement, it is _**my**_ duty. Until then, we cannot expel Potter or confiscate his wand. That's the law."

Fudge looked like a fish out of water, and his face flushed in anger. "Fine! Mafalda, send the required letter to the boy," he barked and then, righting his bowler hat, he stormed out of Mafalda's office.

Dumbledore looked at Amelia and gave a small smile; the relief in his face was evident, "Thank you, dear Amelia. You made the right decision. I'll better be off."

With a polite nod of his head to both Amelia and Mafalda, Dumbledore left too with his magnificent robes sweeping behind him.

Mafalda gave a nervous sort of laugh as she turned to Amelia, "All this trouble for a boy? He must be quite special."

Amelia smirked, "We'll see soon enough, won't we?"

* * *

 

On the morning of the twelfth of August, Amelia sat in her office preparing herself for the day. Just as she was having her tea, Julia came rushing in, panting, "They've changed the location and time of Potter's hearing."

" _WHAT?_ Who did this and when?"

"The Minister and his Undersecretary had a little chat with Mafalda earlier. It's starting in half an hour!"

Amelia swore as she checked the time. She had thought there were still a couple of hours to go. She looked at Julia, "Where is it happening then?"

"In Courtroom 10," she said with a wince.

Amelia frowned. _What was the Minister_ _ **thinking**_ _? Trying a boy for Underage magic in Courtroom 10 where only criminals and Death Eaters had been tried years ago._ She decided to worry about that later as she hurriedly left her office.

* * *

 

The benches in the room were filling up with Ministry officials and to Amelia's curiosity, the entire Wizengamot's members. They were going to have a full-on trial for a fifteen year old boy. _What was the Ministry getting to these days?_

She greeted Mafalda as she took her place. Amelia muttered, "When was this decided?"

Mafalda grimaced, "Last night. Fudge himself authorized it."

Amelia couldn't wipe the frown off her face. _Why was the Minister so intent on this trial?_

After ten minutes or so, the Minister called for quiet and asked if everyone was accounted for. When a murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd, the Minister addressed Amelia, "Since this is a trial, I will also be one of the interrogators Amelia, along with Dolores." He nodded towards Umbridge, the woman whom Amelia detested. Still, she had to keep pretences as colleagues, so she forced a small smile. "Understood, minister. Though I would have liked to have been told about this sooner."

Fudge looked awa,y muttering, "Yes, well…it was all decided just a few hours earlier."

He started shuffling through his papers, ignoring Amelia. She decided to drop the matter; she knew how to pick her battles.

Amelia went through the report in front of her. It highlighted the pertinent details, the time and place of the offence and previous charges. There was not much to go on that could incriminate a boy until they heard his say. Once again, Amelia wondered why the Minister was having such an animosity for young Harry Potter.

* * *

 

Eight 'o clock came and went and the Wizengamot members were muttering amongst themselves. She was not annoyed though. She was the primary interrogator and even _she_ had found out about the change of location only half an hour ago. No wonder the boy was late.

At ten minutes past eight, the door to the courtroom opened and immediately the muttering silenced as all fifty six pairs of eyes turned towards the lone boy standing on the doorway. The door clanged shut.

Amelia was slightly shocked, to say the least. It was like looking at James Potter in the flesh. Everything from his hair, to his height and even his glasses were identical to a fifteen-year old James Potter. The only thing different, she supposed, was the expression on his face which she had never seen on James' face ever before. Potter seemed shocked and even unnerved looking up at them – though she didn't blame him in the slightest. He must not even have known that he would be tried in front of the entire Wizengamot.

"You're late," came the cold voice of Mallory, one of the Wizengamot members.

"Sorry. I-I didn't know the time had been changed," Potter panted slightly in nervousness, or as if he had run all the way here, Amelia didn't know.

Mallory snapped back, "That is not the Wizengamot's fault. An owl was sent to you this morning. Take your seat."

Amelia had to roll her eyes. Trying to intimidate the accused was what the Wizengamot liked to do best.

Potter walked nervously and settled himself on the edge of the chair.

Amelia stared apprehensively at the chains, feeling angry that it was even necessary for this occasion. She felt the eyes of the Wizengamot on her as she pulled out her wand.

She was the _Head_ of The Department of Magical Law Enforcement and she would be damned if they even _tried_ to stop her. She aimed at the chair and waved her wand. The chains clicked menacingly but they didn't bind itself around Potter's wrists.

Harry Potter then looked up at the Wizengamot, taking in the scene before him.

"Very well," said Fudge. "The accused being present – finally – let us begin. Are you ready?" he called down the row.

"Yes, sir," came the eager voice of Percy Weasley. Amelia had heard of how the Weasley's brother was Harry Potter's best friend from her niece, Susan. Amelia watched as Potter glanced at Weasley and she too followed his sight. She frowned when Percy Weasley gave no sign of recognition.

 _So much for his brother's friend_ , she thought as Fudge continued, "Disciplinary hearing on the twelfth of August into offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.

When Fudge started listing out the interrogators, a new but familiar voice cut in.

"-Witness for the defence, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," came the quiet but audible voice of Albus Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was striding serenely across the room, wearing long midnight-blue robes and a perfectly calm expression. Amelia frowned as she heard several Wizengamot members muttering behind her.

"This should get interesting now-"

"You would think sacking him from the Wizengamot would stop him-"

"-What is Dumbledore doing here?"

"-Did anyone see him come in?"

She smirked at the last one. Dumbledore may not be the Chief Warlock anymore, but simply stripping away his title, did not mean he wasn't as powerful.

Dumbledore stood next to Potter and was looking up at Fudge, whom Amelia was delighted to see, was becoming visibly redder. It was no secret that Fudge had changed the time and location at the last minute to prevent just this from happening.

Fudge looked flustered, "Ah. Dumbledore. Yes. You-er-got our-er-message that the time and-er-place of the hearing had been changed, then?"

Amelia would have bet a fortune that Fudge had never gotten the message to Dumbledore at all, or at least until it was too late.

Dumbledore however smiled, "I must have missed it. However, due to a lucky mistake I arrived at the Ministry three hours early, so no harm done."

In other words, he knew exactly what Fudge was playing at. Amelia smirked. _Shrewd, old man._

Fudge continued, "Yes-well-I suppose we'll need another chair-I-Weasley, could you-?"

"Not to worry, not to worry," said Dumbledore pleasantly; he took out his wand, gave it a little flick, and a squashy, chintz armchair appeared out of nowhere next to Potter. Dumbledore sat down, put the tips of his long fingers together and surveyed Fudge over them with an expression of polite interest.

The Wizengamot members were all muttering again, some fidgeting restlessly under his scrutiny.

"-comes and sits as he pleases-"

"-he's going to get his way anyway, so why do we bother-"

"a polite Dumbledore is a lethal one, you remember Audrey, when we were on that case six years earlier-"

Amelia smirked. _Well, he was the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. He knew better than anyone on how to intimidate someone._

Fudge started to speak again and the hall quietened. "Yes," he said, shuffling his notes. "Well, then. So. The charges. Yes."

He extricated a piece of parchment from the pile before him, took a deep breath, and read out, "The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly, deliberately and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a Muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of a Muggle, on the second of August at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offence under Paragraph C of the Decree of the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy."

"You are Harry James Potter, of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?" Fudge said glaring at Potter, over the top of his parchment.

"Yes," Potter said.

"You received an official warning from the Ministry for using illegal magic three years ago, did you not?"

"Yes, but-"

"And yet you conjured a Patronus on the night of the second of August," said Fudge.

Amelia was stunned. _A patronus? At fifteen? That was one of the most difficult spells even for grown wizards and witches._

"Yes," said Potter, "but-"

Fudge interrupted "Knowing that you are not permitted to use magic outside school while you are under the age of seventeen?"

Amelia was frustrated. _Now really, was this how he was going to get the truth?_

Potter looked annoyed, "Yes, but-"

Fudge cut in again, "Fully aware that you were in close proximity to a Muggle at the time?"

Even Amelia was getting angry now. Fudge was not asking questions they didn't know the answers to. She decided to stop this nonsense whatever Fudge was planning at.

"Yes," Potter ground out angrily, "but I only used it because we were-"

Amelia felt faintly hypocritical as she cut across him in her strong, clear voice, "You produced a fully-fledged Patronus?"

"Yes, because-" Potter said, and she just had to be clear, so she added, "A corporeal Patronus?"

"A-what?" he looked confused. She elaborated, "Your Patronus had a clearly defined form? I mean to say, it was more than vapour or smoke?"

Potter replied impatiently, "Yes, it's a stag, it's always a stag."

"Always? You have produced a Patronus before now?" she asked bemusedly.

"Yes," Potter said, "I've been doing it for over a year."

 _Over a year?_ Amelia wondered, "And you are fifteen years old?"

"Yes, and-"

"You learned this at school?"

Potter nodded, "Yes, Professor Lupin taught me in my third year, because of the-"

But Amelia didn't hear him as she was looking at him with new interest. _A fully-fledged patronus by a third year student? Potter must be remarkably gifted._ She started to really believe at that moment, that this was the Boy-Who-Lived after all and not any ordinary student.

She mused aloud, "Impressive," and stared him down, "A true Patronus at his age… very impressive indeed."

She caught a few witches and wizards muttering behind her.

"-that is certainly impressive-"

"-he's a threat, that's what he is-"

"-bet at least a couple or so of the Wizengamot still need to work on _their_ Patronuses-"

"-so he decided to show off his magic to the Muggles?-"

Fudge boomed angrily, "It's not a question of how impressive the magic was! In fact, the more impressive, the worse it is, I would have thought, given that the boy did it in plain view of a Muggle!"

Amelia frowned as some murmured in agreement when Potter suddenly spoke, "I did it because of the Dementors!"

The entire courtroom silenced in an instant. Amelia was shocked by that pronouncement and her eyes widened in disbelief, her monocle threatening to fall off.

"Dementors? What do you mean, boy?"

"I mean there were two dementors down that alleyway and they went for me and my cousin!"

 _Two dementors? And how was it they were so far out of Azkaban._ Amelia sat confused as Fudge smirked unpleasantly, "Ah. Yes."

He looked around the Wizengamot, "Yes, I thought we'd be hearing something like this."

Amelia ignored the fool, "Dementors at Little Whinging? I don't understand-"

Fudge replied, "Don't you Amelia? Let me explain. He's been thinking it through and decided dementors would make a very nice little cover story, very nice indeed. Muggles can't see Dementors, can they, boy? Highly convenient, highly convenient… so it's just your word and no witnesses…"

Amelia couldn't understand why Fudge would think that way. _If Potter says there were two Dementors, surely the next logical action would be to investigate the truth of his statement?_

As people started muttering again, Potter spoke up, "I'm not lying! There were two of them, coming from opposite ends of the alley. Everything went dark and cold and my cousin felt them and ran for it-"

"Enough, enough!" Fudge said, with a very supercilious look on his face. Amelia had to squash the urge to curse him; he may be an idiot but he was still the Minister for Magic. _Fudge truly didn't care for the truth, did he? He just wanted to get it all over with and convict a possibly innocent boy._

"I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story-"

Dumbledore cleared his throat. The Wizengamot fell silent in an instant again.

"We do, in fact, have a witness to the presence of dementors in that alleyway," he said, "other than Dudley Dursley, I mean."

 _Oh really?_ Amelia wondered as she went through the report in front of her, thinking if she had missed something. When she was sure she hadn't and because the silence was becoming deafening, she looked up to watch Fudge, who seemed like he was pulling himself together again, "We haven't got time to listen to more taradiddles, I'm afraid, Dumbledore. I want this dealt with quickly-"

Amelia didn't think she could become more irritated with Fudge than she was at that moment, as Dumbledore cut in. "I may be wrong," he said pleasantly, "but I am sure that under the Wizengamot Charter of Rights, the accused has the right to present witnesses for his or her case? Isn't that the policy of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Madam Bones?" he continued, addressing herself now.

She agreed wholeheartedly as she spoke up, "True. Perfectly true."

"Oh, very well, very well," snapped Fudge. "Where is this person?"

Amelia was now very curious as to this witness' view of events that she stood up straighter in her chair.

"I brought her with me," said Dumbledore. "She's just outside the door. Should I-?"

Amelia smirked. _Charming as ever, that old man._

"No-Weasley, you go," Fudge barked at Percy Weasley, who stood up at once, ran down the stone steps from the judge's balcony and hurried towards the door.

A moment later, he returned with a nervous, old woman with greying hair and tattered clothes and if Amelia wasn't mistaken, carpet slippers. She looked slightly mad and Amelia had to wonder what on earth this witch was doing in Little Whinging, when there was no record of another witch or wizard ever staying there other than Harry Potter.

Dumbledore stood up and gave the woman his chair, conjuring a second one for himself.

"Full name?" said Fudge loudly, no doubt using his same old tactic of appearing intimidating.

The woman spoke in a quavering voice, "Arabella Doreen Figg."

"And who exactly are you?" Fudge asked in a bored, lofty voice.

"I'm a resident of Little Whinging, close to where Harry Potter lives," said Ms. Figg.

Amelia was curious as she spoke up at once, afraid that Fudge would never give her a chance if he kept on with his useless questions. "We have no record of any witch or wizard living in Little Whinging, other than Harry Potter. That situation has always been closely monitored, given… given past events," she said. The Ministry had gone into so much trouble to watch out for the boy just a year ago, when Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban. _How the tables have turned._

"I'm a Squib," said Figg. "So, you wouldn't have me registered, would you?"

Amelia was surprised by that piece of information when Fudge looked at Figg with a mad glint in his eye, "A Squib, eh? We'll be checking that. You'll leave details of your parentage with my assistant, Weasley. Incidentally, can Squibs see dementors?" he added, looking left and right along the bench.

Amelia huffed quietly. One would think, as Minister for Magic he would be knowledgeable about these things.

"Yes, we can!" said Figg, indignantly.

Fudge looked back down on her, "Very well," he said aloofly. "What is your story?"

Amelia leaned forward in her seat. She very much wanted to hear this account.

"I had gone out to buy cat food from the corner shop at the end of Wisteria Walk, around about nine o'clock, on the evening of the second of August," the woman said as if from rote memory, "when I heard a disturbance down the alleyway between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk. On approaching the mouth of the alleyway I saw dementors running-"

Amelia cut in sharply, "Running? Dementors don't run, they glide."

The woman flushed as she added quickly, "That's what I meant to say. Gliding along the alleyway towards what looked like two boys."

Amelia wasn't quite buying it, so she decided to question the dementors appearance. _If Figg actually did see them, then she would recognize it from how well she could describe them._

Amelia narrowed her eyes, the monocle cutting into her eyelids as she asked, "What did they look like?"

"Well, one was very large and the other one rather skinny-"

 _What? A skinny dementor?_ Amelia realized she was describing the two boys, so she hastened to clarify herself, "No, no. The dementors… describe them."

If it was possible, Figg flushed even darker as she understood, "Oh! They were big. Big and wearing cloaks."

 _Really?_ That sounded like a child's description. This woman could have easily just seen a picture to describe it. She repeated coolly, "Big and wearing cloaks," while Fudge snorted derisively, "I see. Anything else?"

The woman, Figg continued, "Yes, I felt them. Everything went cold, and this was a very warm summer's night, mark you. And I felt… as though all happiness had gone from the world… and I remembered dreadful things…" Her voice shook and then died.

Amelia was surprised. _Now that was very… accurate. So there were dementors in Little Whinging. The question then was 'Why?'_

"What did the dementors do?" Amelia asked, believing her now.

Figg continued in a stronger voice, "They went for the boys. One of them had fallen. The other was backing away, trying to repel the dementor. That was Harry. He tried twice and produced only silver vapour. On the third attempt, he produced a Patronus, which charged down the first dementor and the, with his encouragement, chased the second one away from his cousin. And that… that is what happened," she finished, somewhat lamely.

Amelia didn't believe for a moment that the woman could be lying. There was no point lying about these matters. Figg had nothing to gain from lying and risking herself for the boy.

 _Which leads me to believe this was true._ Amelia couldn't shake off the bad feeling she had about this. Why had dementors been in Little Whinging so far away from the Ministry control? Surely, they weren't just strolling by the area that just happened to be inhabited by the Boy-Who-Lived. She felt uneasy thinking if someone had set the dementors up to finish the boy. If Potter hadn't learned about the Patronus charm, there was no doubt he could have been dead. Which also justifies him using magic, as it _was_ a life-threatening situation after all.

Just then, Fudge spoke rather aggressively, in a tone that conveyed quite clearly that he didn't believe a word, "That is what you saw, is it?

"That is what happened," Figg repeated.

"Very well, you may go," said Fudge.

Amelia watched as the woman cast a frightened look from Fudge to Dumbledore, then got up and shuffled off towards the door. The door clanged shut as Fudge spoke up loftily, "Not a very convincing witness."

Amelia deigned to disagree, as she voiced her opinion loudly, "Oh, I don't know. She certainly described the effects of a dementor attack very accurately. And I can't imagine why she would say they were there, if they weren't."

"But dementors wandering into a Muggle suburb and just happening to come across a wizard?" snorted Fudge. Amelia frowned. Fudge was a fool if he couldn't even consider the problem from all angles.

Fudge went on, "The odds on that must be very, very long. Even Bagman wouldn't have bet-"

"Oh, I don't think any of us believe the dementors were there by coincidence," Dumbledore said, lightly, yet again plunging the entire Wizengamot into silence.

Amelia was quite glad now to have Dumbledore here, defending the boy. He was definitely the voice of reason that she respected, unlike Fudge.

Fudge asked icily, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I think they were ordered there," said Dumbledore.

This was something Amelia was wary of even considering. _Could the Ministry have sent dementors after an innocent boy?_

Fudge bristled in anger as he barked, "I think we might have a record of it if someone had ordered a pair of dementors to go strolling through Little Whinging!"

"Not if the dementors are taking orders from someone other than the Ministry of Magic these days," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have already given you my views on this matter, Cornelius."

Amelia felt a cold shiver run down her spine. It was a known fact that Dumbledore had been sacked from the Wizengamot because he had proclaimed You-Know-Who was back in full power. _Was it **him** that sent the dementors after the boy? But if more than half of the entire Wizengamot had disagreed with Dumbledore, was You-Know-Who __**really**_ _back?_

Fudge's voice snapped her back to reality, "Yes, you have! And I have no reason to believe that your views are anything other than bilge, Dumbledore. The dementors remain in place in Azkaban and are doing everything we ask them to."

"Then," said Dumbledore, quietly but clearly, "we must ask ourselves why somebody within the Ministry ordered a pair of dementors into that alleyway on the second of August."

Amelia sat stunned into silence as did the entire Wizengamot at this blatant accusation against the Ministry.

At that moment, Umbridge leaned forward as all eyes fell on her. "The Chair recognises Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister," said Fudge.

Amelia ground her teeth in annoyance as Umbridge spoke with a simper, "I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, Professor Dumbledore. So silly of me. But it sounded for a teensy moment as though you were suggesting that the Ministry of Magic had ordered an attack on this boy!"

She gave a high-pitched girly laugh that gave Amelia the intense urge to snap her neck. A few other people laughed nervously along with her, no doubt to get in her good graces.

"If it is true that the dementors are taking orders only from the Ministry of Magic, and it is also true that two dementors attacked Harry and his cousin a week ago, then it follows logically that somebody at the Ministry might have ordered the attacks," said Dumbledore politely.

Amelia couldn't help but notice how Dumbledore addressed Potter by his first name. _Looks like the rumours that Potter was Dumbledore's favourite boy had some truth to it after all._ "Of course, these particular dementors may have been outside Ministry control-"

"There are no dementors outside Ministry control!" snapped Fudge, who had turned brick red.

Dumbledore, ever the polite one, inclined his head in a little bow, "Then, undoubtedly, the Ministry will be making a full inquiry into why two dementors were so very far from Azkaban and why they attacked without authorisation."

Amelia mentally agreed that it was the logical and right thing to do, but Fudge didn't seem to think so. "It is not for you to decide what the Ministry of Magic does or does not do, Dumbledore!" he snapped, turning into a shade of magenta now.

"Of course it isn't," said Dumbledore mildly. "I was merely expressing my confidence that this matter will not go uninvestigated," he said as he glanced directly at her. Amelia adjusted her monocle self-consciously as she stared back at Dumbledore, frowning. There was no doubt she was going to open an investigation about this later today.

"I would remind everybody that the behaviour of these dementors, if indeed they are not figments of this boy's imagination, is not the subject of this hearing!" said Fudge. Amelia was shocked by what she was hearing. _Was Fudge really kidding? They had just heard a witness' account, and now he goes on to say it was a figment of the boys' imagination! Why was the Minister so intent on getting young Potter accused for something he didn't do?_

Fudge barked "We are here to examine Harry Potter's offences under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery!"

"Of course we are," said Dumbledore, "but the presence of dementors in that alleyway is highly relevant. Clause Seven of the decree states that magic may be used before Muggles in exceptional circumstances, and as those exceptional circumstances include situations which threaten the life of the wizard or witch himself, or any witches, wizards or Muggles present at the time of the-"

"We are familiar with Clause Seven. Thank you very much!" snapped Fudge.

Without a beat, Dumbledore said courteously, "Of course you are. Then we are in agreement that Harry's use of the Patronus Charm in these circumstances falls precisely into the category of exceptional circumstances the clause describes?"

"If there were dementors, which I doubt." _Was Fudge even listening to himself?_

"You have heard it from an eyewitness," Dumbledore interrupted. "If you still doubt her truthfulness, call her back, question her again. I am sure she would not object."

"I-that-not-" blustered Fudge, fiddling with the papers before him, "It's-I want this over with today, Dumbledore!"

Before Amelia could even think about how that made no sense, Dumbledore beat her to it, "But naturally, you would not care how many times you heard from a witness, if the alternative was a serious miscarriage of justice."

"Serious miscarriage, my hat!" said Fudge at the top of his voice. "Have you ever bothered to tot up the number of cock-and-bull stories this boy has come out with, Dumbledore, while trying to cover up his flagrant misuse of magic out of school? I suppose you've forgotten the Hover Charm he used three years ago-"

"That wasn't me, it was a house-elf!" said Potter whom Amelia had half-forgotten by now, entranced by the new revelations that Dumbledore and Fudge were dishing out.

"YOU SEE?" roared Fudge, gesturing flamboyantly in Potter's direction. "A house-elf! In a Muggle house! I ask you-"

"The house-elf in question is currently in the employ of Hogwarts School," said Dumbledore. "I can summon him here in an instant to give evidence if you wish."

"I-not-I haven't got time to listen to house-elves! Anyway, that's not the only- he blew up his aunt for God's sake!" Fudge shouted, banging his fist on the judge's bench and upsetting a bottle of ink.

Amelia remembered that incident. A very different Fudge from now had just passed it off without pressing any charges. _What had changed Fudge now?_

"And you very kindly did not press charges on that occasion, accepting, I presume, that even the best wizards cannot always control their emotions," said Dumbledore calmly. Amelia nodded slightly. Although, accidental magic almost always stops after first wand use. Either Potter had been very talented or very angry that night.

Fudge was attempting to scrub the ink off his notes, as he added, "And I haven't even started on what he gets up to at school-"

"But as the Ministry has no authority to punish Hogwarts students for misdemeanours at school, Harry's behaviour there is not relevant to this hearing," said Dumbledore, as politely as ever, but now with a suggestion of coldness behind his words. Yet again, Amelia noticed how Dumbledore had never once referred to Potter using his surname.

"Oho!" said Fudge. "Not our business what he does at school, eh? You think so?"

"The Ministry does not have the power to expel Hogwarts students, Cornelius, as I reminded you on the night of the second of August," said Dumbledore. "Nor does it have the right to confiscate wands until charges have been successfully proven, again, as I reminded you on the night of the second of August. In your admirable haste to ensure that the law is upheld, you appear inadvertently I am sure, to have overlooked a few laws yourself."

"Laws can be changed," said Fudge savagely.

Amelia had a sense of déjà vu as she remembered the same conversation happening ten days ago in Mafalda's office.

"Of course they can," said Dumbledore, inclining his head. "And you certainly seem to be making many changes, Cornelius. Why, in the few short weeks since I was asked to leave the Wizengamot, it has already become the practice to hold a full criminal trial to deal with a simple matter of underage magic!"

A few of the Wizengamot members beside her shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Amelia herself had been wondering the same thing the entire morning. Fudge didn't seem to have any argument left.

Dumbledore continued, "As far as I am aware, there is no law yet in place that says this court's job is to punish Harry for every bit of magic he has ever performed. He has been charged with a specific offence and he has presented his defence. All he and I can do now is to await your verdict."

Dumbledore put his fingertips together again and said no more. Amelia watched as Potter looked up nervously at Dumbledore, who was still looking up at the Wizengamot, then looked at his feet in nervous silence. All around her people were conversing in urgent whispers.

"-he did use magic in a life-threatening situation after all!"

"-and the Muggle in question is his cousin! It's not like he was clueless about magic-"

"-still cannot get over the fact that Potter can conjure a true Patronus-"

"-so we have no idea how the dementors came by Little Whinging then?"

Amelia watched as twice, Potter looked up at the judges' bench as if to say something, then shut his mouth. It occurred to her then, that this wasn't the Boy-Who-Lived in front of her. He was just an ordinary teenage boy, who just happened to be the son of her deceased schoolmates James and Lily, and he was the same age as her niece, Susan. Suddenly, she was very thankful that he was not alone and had Dumbledore to speak in defence for him.

As the whispering ceased, Amelia spoke in her booming voice already having made up her mind, "Those in favour of clearing the witness of all charges?"

Amelia saw Potter's head jerk upwards as he scanned the Wizengamot. She put up her hand as she too looked around to see almost everyone's hand up in the air.

She spoke up again, "And those in favour of conviction?"

Unsurprisingly, Fudge put up his hand and so did Umbridge along with a handful of people.

Amelia smirked as she watched Fudge, looking as if he had something large stuck in his throat. He took two deep breaths and said, in a voice distorted with suppressed rage, "Very well, very well… cleared of all charges."

Dumbledore sprang to his feet as he said briskly, "Excellent!"

He waved his wand and the two chintz chairs vanished, "Well, I must be getting along. Good day to you all!"

Amelia watched as he swept out of the dungeon and out of curiosity looked at Potter whose elation was already wearing off as he watched Dumbledore leave.

The rest of the Wizengamot were clearing their benches and starting to file away, talking in murmurs. She watched Potter look around nervously as if waiting for someone to say something. Then, realizing nobody was bothered about him, he got up and walked quickly towards the door, no doubt wanting to get away from the room.

As she filed out of the door along with the others, she watched Griselda and a few others stopping to congratulate Potter. She nodded her head in his direction and walked off to her office.

Now that the hearing was over, she found herself thinking again about all that had transpired today.

The animosity between Fudge and Dumbledore was plain to see. Fudge seemed intent on not believing Dumbledore when he claimed You-Know-Who was back. So why was he taking it out on Potter? Was it because it was him who had alerted Dumbledore to You-Know-Who's return? Or was it just because he was Dumbledore's favourite boy and Fudge meant to exploit that?

She didn't really understand when people said that Potter was Dumbledore's favourite student. Other than causing You-Know-Who's disappearance when he was a baby, Potter hadn't really done much to gain the Headmaster's notice. But if she really thought about it, the Headmaster was risking so much unpopularity in the Wizarding Community. He had already been asked to leave the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Warlocks. His Order of Merlin was revoked. His long list of titles was stripped to now just the Headmaster of Hogwarts. And yet, he stood by what Potter claimed. Even so much as defending him from the entire Wizengamot. Maybe Potter's version of You-Know-Who having returned was the truth after all?


End file.
